


Come Back

by restless (cabinfever)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-28
Updated: 2013-05-28
Packaged: 2017-12-13 05:09:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/820367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cabinfever/pseuds/restless
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They finally get a few weeks off, but Liam is left in London alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Come Back

Honestly, Liam should’ve considered himself lucky.

Their world tour had just ended and finally,  _finally_ , they’d gotten some time off. Four whole weeks were theirs to just go off and do what they wanted for once. As far as Liam knew, Niall had packed his bags and set off for Mullingar and hadn’t been heard from since. Harry and Louis had taken a [trip to Disneyworld](http://theundiscloseddesires.tumblr.com/post/39052313975/come-back) because apparently Louis ‘had to ride in the teacups’. Zayn ran off to Bradford and then France after that, and now Liam had no idea where he was. And Liam decided to stay in London.

Alone.

So no, it wasn’t really turning out to be the best vacation of Liam’s life.

Zayn hadn’t contacted him since he’d called from what sounded like a bustling airport, telling Liam that he was off to France and didn’t know when he’d be back. Since then, it’d been a constant and elaborate dance of Liam checking his [phone](http://theundiscloseddesires.tumblr.com/post/39052313975/come-back), his Twitter, and the news for anything regarding Zayn. Other than a tweet reading ‘ _having fun in Paris :)x’_  there’d been no sign of him, no way for Liam to find out what was going on.

Liam glared at [the phone](http://theundiscloseddesires.tumblr.com/post/39052313975/come-back). “Ring,” he commanded it, flopping his head back so that it hit the wall.

He’d promised not to bother any of the boys, but maybe…he reached for the phone, scrolling through his contacts until a familiar picture popped up, that weird face he was making and a French fry in his mouth, dark hair slicked back in that ever-growing quiff. He reached out a thumb to click the ‘call’ [button](http://theundiscloseddesires.tumblr.com/post/39052313975/come-back), but stopped himself. Zayn was fine. He didn’t want to seem over attached.

He threw his phone to the couch, stood, and left the apartment, tired of the lingering scent of Zayn’s cologne making his heart ache with need every time he drew in a breath. He hurried down into the London streets, thankful that it was a Monday and school was still in session, earning him some kind of reprieve from screaming girls. Of course, he got a few curious looks and a few passersby stopped for a picture or autograph, but that was nothing he couldn’t handle. It was when he saw the paparazzi swoop down from a side street that he started getting annoyed.

“Liam, where are the rest of the boys? Where’s Zayn? Did you have a fight? Is the relationship over so soon after it started?” a single reporter asked, shoving a microphone under his nose. “It’s been weeks since he was heard from.”

Liam raised a hand and pushed the microphone away. “Excuse me, please,” he growled, pushing through the crowd and stalking back the way to his flat. He slammed the door against the distant calls and screams of excitement, leaning against the door with weak knees.

He walked to the couch and collapsed on it, burying his face in the pillows and screaming into them, full of anger at the reporters, at the fame, and at Zayn for leaving him alone like this. He picked up the phone from where he’d discarded it and punched in the number that he knew by heart, holding the phone to his ear.

Zayn answered on the first ring.

_“Hullo?”_

Liam swallowed back the tears of relief. “Zayn,” he breathed. “It’s been three weeks.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. “ _Liam, I’m so sorry. I’ve just been so busy. And I’ve finally gone sightseeing–”_

“Oh, and the time the two of us went together didn’t count? Sorry, Zayn, I wasn’t aware that you needed to be away from me to enjoy yourself,” Liam spat, three weeks of tension flowing out through his words.

_“No, Liam, I didn’t mean it like that!”_

“Don’t you miss me?” Liam sniffed.

 _“Yes, Liam, of course I do!”_ Zayn assured him quickly, his Bradford accent strong in the heat of his statement.  _“Liam, I’ve thought about you every minute that I’ve been away.”_

Liam choked out a sob. “Then come back,” he begged.

“ _I can’t right now, Liam. I’ve been needing some time off for ages now, and now I finally have some peace to just be Zayn.”_ His voice sounded remorseful, but that didn’t eliminate the hurt that stabbed through Liam at the rejection.

“I miss you so much, Zayn,” Liam whimpered, barely able to speak past the lump in his throat.

Zayn was silent for a moment.  _“I miss you too, Liam_.”

Liam sniffed again, rubbing at his nose. “See you in a few days, then. Enjoy your vacation.”

He didn’t bother to listen to Zayn’s response, if there was any. He ended the call, threw the phone across the room, and screamed into the empty apartment miserably, crumbling against the couch and drawing his knees to his chest. He cried shamelessly; at least there was nobody there to judge him for it, to use his fame to do things against him, things like making Zayn leave. And he cried. Alone.

*          *          *

The doorbell rang at ten o’clock that night, drawing a sniffling Liam out of the bedroom and into the foyer of the apartment, slipper-clad feet shuffling and fuzzy pajama pants warm and comforting against his legs. He quickly glanced in the mirror next to the door, noticing his puffy, bloodshot eyes, and opened the door anyway.

“Zayn.”

The dark-haired boy looked flushed, like he’d run here from miles away. A few suitcases sat at his feet. “I came back,” he offered softly.

Liam looked down. “You left,” he pointed out.

Zayn stepped forward and pulled Liam into his arms, filling that gap deep inside of Liam that could only be reserved for a certain presence, a void that could only be made whole when his lover was near. “I love you,” he whispered into Liam’s ear, breath smelling of peppermint and sugar. “I missed you so much.”

“Never let me go,” Liam murmured into Zayn’s ear. “Don’t leave me like that again.”

“I’m sorry,” Zayn breathed, lips caressing the skin of Liam’s neck. “I love you. I love you.”


End file.
